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Tuesday, May 31, 2016

A Trip Report: JetStar Asia, Singapore to Bangkok (August 2015)

A Trip Report: JetStar Asia (August 2015)

comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

JetStar is the low-cost arm of Qantas airlines (even though
they are part of Qantas, you cannot earn Q miles for JetStar flights). They have many subsidiaries including JetStar
Australia, JetStar New Zealand, and JetStar Asia. I have flown all three and all have a basic
low-cost structure. Each offers low
fares that cover an average seat and a basic carry-on; everything else has a
cost including assigned seats, checked baggage, pre-selected seats, food, and
some in-flight entertainment (depending on the route and plane). As in most low-cost carriers, you can add the
extra services at the time of booking for a reduced rate or later at the
airport for a higher cost. I have flown
JetStar three times, in three different countries, and I continue to go back
because they offer a low-fare, decent service, and add-ons which you can modify
to your liking. In each case, even with the add-ons the total fare on JetStar
was less than its competitors.

My most recent JetStar experience was with JetStar Asia
Airways in August 2015. This

airline is based in
Singapore and I flew from Singapore to Bangkok – a 2hr and 25 minute
flight. JetStar has flights throughout the
day to Bangkok, but they range in terms of cost. I booked my ticket online and the online site
was very user friendly (I also had a question and called the call center, and
they were also provided good customer service).
We took the early morning flight departing Singapore at 7am, and took
the late-night flight out departing Bangkok at 9p and arriving Singapore after
12am. These flights fit our schedule, but
also fit our budget. A standard carry-on
is included in the base fare, but checked luggage and assigned seats are
separate. I have normally purchased
checked baggage (as I am usually connecting from another international flight)
and the cost for the checked baggage is pretty reasonable. I have normally not paid to pre-select my
seat assignment, and sometimes I have received an aisle seat in the exit row
and sometimes I received the middle seat.
As I was travelling with someone who normally does not travel on
low-cost carriers, and is generally not a fan of them, I went ahead and paid for
pre-selecting my seat. The charge for
this, in my opinion, is a bit high given you are only able to choose the
standard seats – exit row seats, or those with extra legroom, or an additional
cost on top the existing charge.

As in standard in most low-cost carriers, JetStar operates
one type of aircraft – an Airbus A320 (they recently acquired 787 Dreamliners
as well). The planes are configured in
the same way – 3 leather seats on either side.
The seat pitch is somewhat narrow, and the comfort of the seat is not
that great. Both are alright for
short-haul flights and both were decent enough for our 2h 25minute flight;
however, not sure if I could deal with both for longer flights.

The service on board is pleasant, but everything needs to be
purchased.Water is free, but that’s
about it.Snacks and meals can either be
pre-purchased online or bought directly on board.The planes I flew had no entertainment system
so bring something to occupy your time (the 787 Dreamliners do have PTV’s but
the entertainment needs to be purchased).I did not buy anything on board as I had purchased food and drink in the
airport, but they also have amenity kits and other items available to purchase
on board.Some of the prices are reasonable
while others are costly.

Overall, if you know what to expect then JetStar provides a
decent experience at a low-cost. Each
flight provided a basic service at a low-cost, with an average seat and an
on-time departure and arrival. If you
are looking for a full-service airline with lots of amenities including in your
ticket, then this is not the airline for you.
If you are looking for an airline that provides low fares and services
you can pick and choose that are right for you, then this is the airline for
you.